THE CARES OF OFFICE
A commission of our lord the Pope had been directed to Hubert,
Archbishop of Canterbury, and to the lord Bishop of Lincoln, and to
Samson, Abbot of St. Edmund, touching the reformation of the church of
Coventry, and the restoration of the monks thereto, without any
revision of their case. The parties being summoned to Oxford, the
judges received letters of request from our lord the King, that this
business should be respited.
The archbishop and the bishop, seeming to know nothing, were silent,
as if seeking the favour of the clerks. The abbot was the only one who
spoke out, and he did so as a monk for the monks of Coventry, publicly
advocating and defending their cause. And by his means it was so far
proceeded with on that day, that a certain simple seisin was made to
one of the monks of Coventry by delivery of one book. But corporate
institution was deferred for a time, that so in some degree the abbot
might obey the request of our lord the King.
At that time he entertained in his inn fourteen monks of Coventry who
had appeared there; and when the monks were sitting at the table on
one side of the house, and the masters of the schools who had been
summoned thither on the other, the abbot was applauded as noble and
liberal in his expenses. Never in all his life did he seem so joyful
as at that time, for the reverence he bore towards reform of monastic
rule. The feast of St. Hilary being now at hand, the abbot journeyed
on to Coventry in high spirits, neither was he overcome by fatigue or
charges, for he said, that even if he had to be carried in a
horse-litter, he would not remain behind. On his arrival at Coventry,
where for five days he was waiting for the archbishop, he kept with
him all the afore-named monks, with their servants, in most honourable
fashion, until a new prior was created, and the monks had been
formally inducted. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," for it
is an act worthy to be had in remembrance.
After this the abbot Samson and Robert of Scales came to an agreement
concerning the moiety of the advowson of the church of Wetherden, and
the same Robert acknowledged it to be the right of St. Edmund and the
abbot. Thereupon the abbot, without any previous understanding taking
place, and without any promise previously made, gave that moiety which
belonged to him to Master Roger of Scales, brother of the same knight,
upon this condition, that he should pay by the hand of our sacrist an
annual pension of three marks to that master of the schools who should
teach in the town of St. Edmund. This the abbot did, being induced
thereto by motives of remarkable generosity; in order that as he had
formerly purchased stone houses for the use of the schools, that poor
clerks should be free from house rent, so now from thenceforth they
might be freed from all demand of moneys which the master of the
school demanded by custom for his teaching. And so, by God's will, and
during the abbot's life, the entire moiety of the aforesaid church,
which is worth, as it is said, one hundred shillings, was appropriated
to such purposes.
Now the abbot, after that he had built in his vills throughout the
abbacy many and various edifices, and had taken up his quarters at his
manor houses oftener and more frequently than with us at home, at
length, as if returning to himself, and as if making good better, said
that he would stay more at home than he had been used to do; and would
now erect some buildings within the court for necessary purposes,
having regard to internals and externals, and as if he was aware that
"the presence of the master is the profit of the field." Therefore he
gave directions that the stables and offices in the court lodge and
round about the same, formerly covered with reeds, should be newly
roofed, and covered with tiles, under the supervision of Hugh the
sacrist, so that thus all fear and risk of fire might be prevented.
And now, behold the acceptable time, the day of desire, whereof I
write not but with great joy, myself having the care of the guests.
Lo! at the command of the abbot the court lodge resounds with spades
and masons' tools, for pulling down the guest-house; and now it is
almost all levelled. Of the rebuilding, let the Most High take
thought! The abbot built for himself a new larder in the court lodge,
and gave to the convent the old larder (which was situated, in a very
slovenly fashion, under the dorter) for the accommodation of the
chamberlain. The chapels of St. Andrew and St. Katherine and St. Faith
were newly covered with lead; many repairs were also made, both inside
the church and without. If you do not believe, open your eyes and see.
Also in his time our almonry, which previously was of wood and out of
repair, was built in stone; whereto a certain brother of ours, Walter
the physician, at that time almoner, contributed much of what he had
acquired by his practice of physic.
The abbot also observing that the silver retable of the high altar,
and many other precious ornaments, had been alienated for the purpose
of the recovery of Mildenhall and the ransom of King Richard, was not
desirous of replacing that table or such-like matters, which upon a
similar occasion were liable to be torn away and misappropriated. He
therefore turned his attention to the making of a most valuable
cresting for the shrine of the glorious martyr Edmund, that his
ornament might be set in a place whence it could by no possibility be
abstracted, and whereon no human being would dare to put forth his
hand.
For indeed, when King Richard was captive in Germany, there was no
treasure in England that had not either to be given up or redeemed;
yet the shrine of St. Edmund remained untouched. However, the question
was raised before the justices of the exchequer, whether the shrine of
St. Edmund should not, at least in part, be stripped for the ransom of
King Richard. But the abbot standing up, answered, "Know ye of a
surety, that this never shall be done by me, nor is there a man who
can compel me to consent to it. But I will open the doors of the
church: let him enter who will, let him approach who dare." Each of
the justices replied with oaths, "I will not venture to approach it."
"Nor will I." "St. Edmund grievously punishes those who are far off as
well as those who are near at hand; how much more will he inflict
vengeance upon those who take away his vesture!"
Upon this neither was the shrine despoiled, nor redemption paid.
Therefore passing by other things, the abbot carefully and advisedly
turned his mind towards the making of a cresting for the shrine. And
now the plates of gold and silver resound between the hammer and the
anvil, and "the carpenters wield their tools."
Adam of Cockfield dying, left for his heir a daughter of three months
old; and the abbot gave the wardship of his fee to whom he would. Now
King Richard, being solicited by some of his courtiers, anxiously
sought for the wardship and the child for the benefit of one of his
servants; at one time by letters, at another time by messengers.
But the abbot answered that he had given the ward away, and had
confirmed his gift by his charter. Sending his own messenger to the
King, he did all he could, by entreaty and good offices, to mitigate
his wrath. And the King made answer, with great indignation, that he
would avenge himself upon that proud abbot who had thwarted him, were
it not for reverence of St. Edmund, whom he feared. When the messenger
returned, the abbot very wisely passed over the King's threats without
notice, and said, "Let the King send, if he will, and seize the ward;
he has the strength and power of doing his will, indeed of taking away
the whole of the abbacy. I shall never be bent to his will in this
matter, nor by me shall this ever be done. For the thing that is most
to be apprehended is, lest such things be made a precedent to the
prejudice of my successors. On this business I will never give the
King money. Let the Most High look to it. Whatever may befall, I will
patiently bear."
Whilst, therefore, many were saying and believing that the King was
exasperated against the abbot, lo! the King wrote in a friendly way to
the abbot, and requested that he would give him some of his dogs. The
abbot, not unmindful of that saying of the wise man--
Gifts, believe me, influence both men and gods,
By the offer of gifts Jove himself is appeased--
sent the dogs as the King requested, and moreover, added some horses
and other valuable gifts. The King graciously accepted them, and in
public most highly commended the honesty and fidelity of the abbot.
He also sent to the abbot by his messengers, as a token of intimacy
and affection, a ring of great price, which our lord the Pope,
Innocent the Third, of his great grace had given him, being indeed the
very first gift that had been offered after his consecration. Also, by
his writ, the King rendered him many thanks for the presents the abbot
had sent him.